So I was waiting until he showed some signs ofr being ready...

[BabyDubsEverywhere]

...but hes three next month and nothing yet? I'm feeling pressure from DH's family, and a few friends, but i dont know where to start.

He knows when he wants a poo i think as he goes off to do that, but other than that he just is not interested. Ive shown him the pants and he had fit, wouldnt let me put them on him. He wont sit on the toilet at all. Also he doesnt seem botherd about getting a clean nappy either. (obviously i dont leave him in dirty/wet nappies though )

The thing is his speech is very behind, has a few recognisable words, quite a few more that i only understand, more with makaton though. He can put two 'words' together kind of but not well and only basic like "no mom". If I'm honest I dont see how he can be potty trained, but i dont know if thats just the defeatest in me giving up before i start.

So sorry for the length of this, if you've got this far thankyou.

I 'spose what I'm asking is has anyone potty trained a child like mine? should i keep waiting for him to "be ready"? Are some children never ready?

[MathsMadMummy]

well when my DD turned 3 I honestly thought she would never be ready. I was so so worried about it. she started nursery and didn't want to know (I'd hoped seeing the other kids would make her want to ditch the nappies).

then one monday at nearly 3.1 she decided to sit on the potty and after much bribery (pudding!) she did a wee in it. the next morning I got a sticker chart and said when she did something in the potty she could have a star. she had 2 accidents that day and then was dry! ditched the night nappy a week later as she was waking up dry, and she's been dry altogether for about a month apart from 2 accidents at nursery and one wet bed (had a bad dream).

it just clicked, as it was the right time for her. before that she was like your DS, refusing the potty, not bothered about being wet etc. I think she just wanted to do it entirely on her terms! I'm so glad I didn't push it now - it took so little effort in the end. perfect for her lazy mum :)

[soremummy]

My dd was exactly the same as MMM's I left her as couldnt cope with the hysterics of it. She would scream blue murder at mention of removing her nappy. Then 10 days after her 3rd birthday she decided she wanted me to buy her another potty a different one (had 3 already) gave in bought it and she had had 1 accident since we got it. She was also dry at night within the week. Leave him till he's ready it so much less stressful for him and you.

[BabyDubsEverywhere]

Yes I much prefer being a lazy mom!

Ive tried bribery, god I've begged even, just to get him to sit on the toilet or try some pants on, his melt downs are legendary! I dont think he understands me though, he doesnt seem to get, 'if you do X you can have Y that I'm waving in your face' he just looks confused.

Well on your word I'm going to continue waiting, its just hard when so many people in RL are spouting the old, mine were trained at 18months and not a moment longer!

[Scaredofthedark]

Hi there,
My ds is also 3 next month and not great at speaking- no sentences, however I think the key to potty training is their understanding.
Does you ds understand what you are saying?
We started potty training last Friday, so still early days. Days 1-3 were horrendous and was ready to give in, but turned the corner yesterday as we had no accidents.

I ask him if he needs to use the potty and can answer yes or no, and then I bribe him with crisps or sweets and he sits on it. Works for us and he's now used to sitting on it.he gets masive praise when he uses it too. He won't sit on the toilet, but I'm not pushing it. On day 1 we put him in pantsand he was not happy when he wet himself! I think they need to get used to that sensation. Do not go back to nappies! It's pants or nothing.
Hope this helps some- you are not the only one!








My ds

[makeupmummy]

I agree with the lazy mum approach: worked really well for me, when dd over 3 . My ds is 26 mths and not interested at all. On the subject of pressure, my dear mother told me the other day, without blinking, that I was toilet trained at one!!

[BabyDubsEverywhere]

Oh scared its good to hear another late talker getting it, i was worried we'd have to wait until he can talk properly, which also seems a long way off.

Ive also had the by his first birthday he should be toilet trained, speaking in sentences, doing the shopping holding down a job, (add any other helpfully unsolicited drival here) and then the following 'well whats wrong with him' ffs!

[Alishanty]

My dd has just turned 2 and I have friends with lo's younger than mine who are thinking about pt and tbh I'm not even going to think about it til she's nearly 3 as my ds took 2 yrs to potty train! We started at just over 2 and it was constant accidents so gave up and started again when he was nearly 3 but he still had regular accidents at nursery and home and damp pants daily. I don't think it was anything to do with his speech as he could talk really well before he was 2. Bribery didn't seem to work, he just didn't care, or couldn't do it. Now at 4, all of a sudden he is dry most days, I'm not worrying about school so much now lol! He is not dry at night yet but tbh I don't expect it yet. I just feel like we wasted so much time and got so stressed when he wasn't ready. I'm not going to pressure my dd until she is really ready and doesn't want to be in nappies anymore, it's not worth the hassle.

[soremummy]

Dont ever give in to the pressure I told my mil today with a great big smug smile on my face when she offered to give me spare nappies i had left there to use for bed time that once she started on potty when she was ready that was it it was a day AND night thing and she no longer needs any nappies at all as she is dry night and day! She couldnt believe she was dry at night as well. So much for training at 18 mth and waiting till they are 4 to be dry at night at least this time i really felt i had out done her (smug face)